ut
which, however, if he so unfortunately pleased, he might abuse at his
discretion. He had absolute power over every nomination to an English
benefice; he might refuse his consent till such adequate reasons, material
or spiritual, as he considered sufficient to induce him to acquiesce, had
been submitted to his consideration. In the case of nominations to the
religious houses, the superiors of the various orders residing abroad had
equal facilities for obstructiveness; and the consequence of so large a
confidence in the purity of the higher orders of the Church became visible
in an act of parliament which it was found necessary to pass in
1306-7.[450]

"Of late," says this act, "it has come to the knowledge of the king, by the
grievous complaint of the honourable persons, lords, and other noblemen of
his realm, that whereas monasteries, priories, and other religious houses
were founded to the honour and glory of God, and the advancement of holy
church, by the king and his progenitors, and by the said noblemen and their
ancestors; and a very great portion of lands and tenements have been given
by them to the said monasteries, priories, and religious houses, and the
religious men serving God in them; to the intent that clerks and laymen
might be admitted in such houses, and that sick and feeble folk might be
maintained, hospitality, almsgiving, and other charitable deeds might be
done, and prayers be said for the souls of the founders and their heirs;
the abbots, priors, and governors of the said houses, _and certain aliens
their superiors_, as the abbots and priors of the Cistertians, the
Premonstrants, the orders of Saint Augustine and of Saint Benedict, and
many more of other religions and orders have at their own pleasure set
divers heavy, unwonted heavy and importable tallages, payments, and
impositions upon every of the said monasteries and houses subject unto
them, in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, without the privity of the
king and his nobility, contrary to the laws and customs of the said realm;
and thereby the number of religious persons being oppressed by such
tallages, payments, and impositions, the service of God is diminished, alms
are not given to the poor, the sick, and the feeble; the healths of the
living and the souls of the dead be miserably defrauded; hospitality,
alms-giving, and other godly deeds do cease; and so that which in times
past was charitably given to godly uses and to the service